First Time Hearing Rush - Xanadu - How Did I Miss This One??

Original Video Link: • RUSH - Xanadu - Live I...
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[@RoarOfWolverine]

The trick to the guitar intro is that Alex is using around 1/4 note delay/echo post volume pedal in order to continue carrying out the note while he fades the note back out, so you never hear silence while the note is faded. That was a trick he first used in the song By-Tor And The Snowdog on their Fly By Night album much earlier. He used it to a much heavier effect on the live version of By Tor on All The World’s A Stage. Actually, the double neck Rick that Geddy is using here is a four string bass and 12 string guitar. He uses the guitar to play the main melody on the outro following Alex’s solo. Alex just plays the arpeggio cord while Geddy plays the melody in tune with Neil playing the same melody notes on the glockenspiel. These guys were so ahead of their time throughout their career. There has been no other group quite like them, they’re called progressive, but in all reality, Rush is it’s own genre, sort of the same way Queen is there own genre. They’ve also been called the smallest orchestra in the world because of the way they layer they’re instrument sounds more like an orchestra, all playing harmonizing notes and scales, rather than all playing the same key. I never missed an opportunity to see these guys live. I saw them on every tour since Permanent Waves and they were always the best concerts I have ever seen and I saw every legendary band from the 70s, 80s and 90s, but no other group played with the same precision as these guys. You could, tell they were never wasted off their asses while playing, always striving to match the same sound they had in the studio live. Throughout most of his career, Geddy’s vocals sounded exactly the same live as any studio cut. He struggled a bit more in the later years, but could still hit some amazing high notes, even late into his 60s. I really feel sorry for younger fans just discovering them in the last few years who will never have a chance to see them live. You really needed to hear these guys live to realize just how close a band can reproduce their sound in a live environment perfectly.

[@mikefuchs-sb8pv]

well said bro, truly one of a kind, genius, discipline, talent, everything..

[@stevemiller7138]

I agree with that live playing of all there songs,. Rush has always mastered there live shows, way better than there studio versions,. The 1st was All the Worlds Stage 1976, then it went on from there, Rush recorded every live concert that they did from 76 onwards, but some of the jems are secrecy with the band. Exit stage left was there premier concert before Tom Sawyer and Red Barchecta was recorded

[@justsmashing4628]

The greatest 3 piece rock band in history, no debate, over.

[@mightyV444]

And also much greater than many bands with _more_ than 3 members! 😁👍

[@kenbourne8011]

The greatest rock band in history. Period.

[@thegospelpeacemakersforum7805]

Rush put out a wall of virtuoso sound!

[@user-rj3gw4km2t]

FACTS…

[@davidmonk4814]

Unfortunately, there is still debate because there are a lot of stupid people in the world.

[@squaaaaak3178]

This song was written around 1976. Originally released on their 1977 album A Farewell to Kings.

[@RushfanUK]

They actually played it live before it was recorded for AFTK, I saw them when they came to the UK for the first time and did a short tour in 77 before they went to Wales to record and they played Xanadu then.

[@reallymysterious4520]

A big part of why that is my fav Rush album. The title track is so underrated as well

[@johnord684]

@@RushfanUK They also played Subdivisions on the Pictures tour in the UK in November 81 at Ingleston ,i was there and went ''whats this its pretty catchy'' :)

[@thegman8968]

Hello mate! The song "XANADU' was inspired by an opiate induced dream, and later poem, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. The poem is titled, "Kubla Khan", and it explores one man's quest to find the mythical place called Xanadu, a place where one can acquire eternal life. Thanks for this reaction! 🏆🏆🏆

[@JohnBrooking4]

Then he ends up miserable, “waiting for the world to end, weary as the night, praying for the light, prison of the lost Xanadu.”

[@timl8302]

@@JohnBrooking4 Yes, he is trapped in the cave.

[@artwerks]

opiate induced dream..so so relevative!!!!

[@artwerks]

each puoof of the pipe induces another vision and new vision of whats to come..

[@artwerks]

milk of paradise..what do u think that is? wouldnt that inspire dark feelings of addiction?

[@zwhtan]

Your astute technical perspective is fascinating as you are discovering this music. I grew up appreciating and respecting Rush without fully allowing myself to recognize their genius. All the people discovering Rush today are reminding me how lucky we were during the period when they were evolving music. More Rush please🤘🏽🎆

[@ernestogonzales9277]

Well said. I'm sure the professor agrees.

[@dn734]

Many 'claim' to be '1st time listeners', may be true, but the astute technical perspective on the so called 1st listen is 'often' the give away of 'otherwise', this guy plays guitar.., I suspect he may be 'more aware' than he claims.

[@ernestogonzales9277]

Why does KZbin send me replies that aren't even replies to my own comments??? Effn stop it KZbin!!!!!

[@skarlottt]

i concur.

[@PrymalChaos]

@@dn734 Definitely a first timer here. The only Rush song I was familiar with was YYZ, and that was because of the Guitar Hero video game. I have been playing guitar since 1991 though. I am always 100% clear about whether it’s a first time listen on my channel. I have done several videos on songs I know well, but I always let the audience know upfront. It’s a personal rule I have for myself, because I also loathe when I can tell a reactor is ‘faking it’ 😂 An interesting phenomenon I’ve noticed surrounding my Rush videos is no one can believe that I could get to be a 45 year old musician and somehow have never heard Rush! It’s absolutely because I’m Australian. They just never really made it across the line here. Our music industry is a bit of a joke when it comes to things like Prog I’m afraid.

[@StickHits]

Idk if it was coincidence or KZbin algorithm AI putting this in my feed today but thanks for using my remaster to react to! Definitely come back and check for any other Rush requests you get because I have a ton of Rush remaster projects and i'm working on new ones as we speak! Awesome reaction man, never gets old seeing people react to this song. It's never too late to discover Rush and can be a daunting Task. I have a playlist on my channel called "My best remasters" that has some more highlights like this, the best live performances of certain tracks etc. so it's a good place to start.

[@mightyV444]

Ah! I did wonder why Neil's voice suddenly had reverb on it, too! I didn't remember it sounding like that on my DVD! 😄😉

[@StickHits]

@@mightyV444 Haha keen ears my friend, honestly I don't remember how reverb ended up on his voice, possibly because I essentially removed the rear channels (which have most of the excessive ambience on the DVD) and re-added some to the center channel which contains only the vocal tracks to compensate for it.

[@mightyV444]

@@StickHits - Ah! Okay! 😊 By the way, your remastered videos had also been used in several other reaction/analysis videos I've watched more recently! 😀 While not everyone in the comments was happy about this and suggested reacting to the official versions in the future instead, I have no reason to complain myself! 😊👍

[@PrymalChaos]

Awesome! You are providing a great service!

[@EnerGeezerSquirrel]

I live in Montreal Canada, I'm going on 70, and even I "discovered" them only when Neil Peart [ pronounced PEERT ] died. You can understand how that impacted Canadian media and entered the consciousnesses of even non-fans. I went into instant catch-up mode. One of the greatest joys of my recent decades: imagine discovering such a well of treasures at this late stage in life. Instead of being a fan whose musical knowledge grew with the band, I had the luxury of bringing a lifetime's listening and learning to 40+ years of development of one of music's most influential bands. What a treat! Added in edit: The title is from a poem [ unfinished, I believe ] by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (?)

[@leddygee1896]

I only wish I could listen to Rush for the first time! Been listening to them since 1976…

[@davymc6764]

This is why I love these reaction channels. Watching the amazememt of others like I had the first time

[@lerxstdirkst6181]

Awesome buddy, keep it going! And edited in… Coleridge did write it, as well as The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

[@JasonSmith-jr7jh]

You speak truth and wisdom, kind Sir...

[@Roddrummer]

Isn't it remarkable how many people default to assuming it's pronounced 'Pert'....

[@crazyfingers19]

Every sound you hear is played or triggered from the stage by 3 masters. Amazing. Welcome to the show

[@skarlottt]

His brain will explode🤘🤘!

[@timcotton1782]

Some things to know about the members of Rush. Neil was their primary lyricist, and trained himself into being a master composer of the musical structure of their songs. Their live presentations of a piece is almost precisely the same as the studio version, plus or minus the natural acoustics of the venue. The three of them were true friends, with a constant thread of humor amongst themselves, and it stayed that way for their entire careers until Neil's passing. They genuinely enjoyed playing together every night. Alex is such an amazingly clean-playing guitarist, that it goes unnoticed by many, especially when you are trying to keep up with watching everything Geddy is doing, or air-drumming along with Neil. Their songs are positive, uplifting, and interesting, along with being musically masterful. Other than that, what's to like?

[@PrymalChaos]

Thanks Tim! That's really interesting that Neil wrote the lyrics!

[@rattan3793]

Geddy's doubleneck is a Rickenbacker 4080/12, 4 string bass and 12 string guitar. Yes, there are 12 tuners on the headstock - 6 on the back of the head and 6 on the sides. The paired strings are wound onto pegs inside slots cut into the face of the head. Well documented in Geddy's Book of Bass p. 386 too. When comparing his bass sound to that of YYZ he used a Fender Jazz bass on that track and on most of the Moving Pictures album it came from.

[@iKvetch558]

That thing you were talking about with the time signatures is because all three of them have a metronomic sense of time, so at any given time, any one of them could be responsible for actually keeping the "beat". There are times when Geddy is keeping the central time on his bass, while both Alex and Neil are doing sort of their own thing along with him, and there are times when Alex is the time keeper and of course Neil is most of the time...but it can often take a while to figure out who is actually keeping time at any given time. ✌✌😁😁

[@chadbennett7873]

Very true and accurate. Well written!! Thanks so much for explaining this fact!

[@debbieplato5107]

There are a lot of bands that were inspired by Rush including Tool and Dream Theatre. Neil and Danny were friends. This song came out in 1977 by Rush so I am sure it inspired a lot of musicians after. Cheers

[@timcotton1782]

"It always serves the music." You nailed it there. Neil and Geddy worked intensely to make sure that nothing in their compositions, however complex and experimental, didn't belong to the musical objective of the piece. The genius of Rush is that each track is a complete set of thoughts, themes and intentions; a full journey through a story they want to tell. Each is a carefully crafted composition, not just a rock song. In some aspects, Xanadu may well be their most important piece, for its freedom from all constraints commonly imposed upon 'commercial' artists. The musical transitions don't concern themselves with convention, they organically create the mood for you. Since you obviously understand the details, and aren't opposed to longer pieces, you need to check out La Villa Strangiato.

[@alan2112drums]

Your description of tempo/time is very accurate. If you listen to the studio recording, it's "cleaner", without the occasional lags. I noticed the same thing the first time I saw this live version. It's fascinating how Neil does it and how the others sinc in seamlessly...

[@matthewhoag2609]

This really is the gold standard for a live performance. Very perceptive on the tempo ebb and flow. It is definitely more pronounced in this live version vs. the album, but it is deliberate and so well executed. I would agree Rush is one of the best in rock at making odd meters flow. They makes extensive use but never gimmicky, or just because they can. It’s all about the phrasing. Neil will often make 2-bar patterns or symmetrical patterns to make it feel more even while Alex and Geddy ante clearly in 7. In the song Natural Science, the verse is in an odd meter which builds great tension that’s released when the chorus switches to 4/4. In Red Barchetta, a song about a sports car, they switch to 7 to give a feeling of acceleration without increasing tempo. It’s just brilliant composition. I always love seeing a musician discover these guys. Cheers!

[@squaaaaak3178]

This version is far superior to the studio version, and I don't know why anyone thinks differently.

[@obiwanbenobi4943]

@@squaaaaak3178 Because you can hear some things more clearly along with Geddy's phrasing is better and also I like Alex's guitar solo and a few other things that don't appear in the live version. Just different.

[@mightyV444]

@@squaaaaak3178 - I totally agree with you! The intro sounds rushed in the studio version (Hah! What a pun!), and even worse, the solo synth being played a full octave higher sounds ridiculous (to me) 😅 But you know what they say: "No two pairs of ears hear the same music"! 😉

[@timbaker7238]

Glad you got a chance to hear this one. Rush is my favorite band and Xanadu is my favorite song from them. Cool that you enjoyed it.

[@pahtar7189]

I'm always amazed how these guys are so good that they can joke and jostle on stage while playing one of the most complex pieces of music written.

[@scott4482]

Xanadu is based on a unfinished poem by English poet Samuel Taylor Cooleridge, it's a location, lost to history.

[@geofffitz1497]

Rush was the greatest live band ever. Incredible reproduction of their studio material.

[@traceysharpe6330]

“Xanadu” is performed in 4/4 and 7/8 time signatures. “Xanadu” was released in 1977 on Rush's 5th studio album Farewell to Kings

[@bdc1117]

It's cool to know that Rush can still impress people today. Back then it was beyond impressive, they were legends, though mainly among people who cared more about music than image. They were the band that everyone in school band liked or at least respected the most. You could put Yes in that conversation too, but Yes's best music wasn't as cool or current by 1980, it seemed too hippie. 90125 was cool, but Rush had a string of eight very strong albums from 1976-1985. During that time they were *the* musicians' band.

[@clansome]

Yes were a primal influence on Rush and Geddy in particular. When Yes were finally inducted into Rock n Roll Hall of Fame back in 2017 it was Alex and Geddy that did the honours with Geddy taking the late Chris Squire's place on bass during the performance. For those of us in the UK we had a surfeit of "musical" bands, be they Led Zep, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Genesis, Yes amongst many, many more. The 70's were a GREAT time to be a teenager. I managed to see Rush twice on the Farewell to Kings tour and then a year later on the Hemispheres tour. They were brilliant.

[@bdc1117]

@@clansome Yeah the 70s were great. By the early 80s, in the US at least, Zep Floyd Purple were all the past, ditto Yes until 90125 (an outlier), and Genesis had gone more pop (as Rush soon would) and were on their way out. Rush fans generally liked those bands too, but there was something special about Rush, especially as the more superficial 80s music took over everything.

[@clansome]

@@bdc1117 We still had some great bands in the 80's, some of whom are still around today. Rush were more a mid 70's/80's band (debut album was 1974), most of the groups I mentioned started late 60's, but I do get your point. Don't forget though that Pink Floyd (imo) really took off once Walters left in 87. Again another influence to Rush all the British Prog and Rock. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rush_(band)#Musical_style_and_influences

[@bdc1117]

@@clansome I know Rush's influences and take your point too. The Rush fans I knew in the 80s were definitely into Pink Floyd (as was I). On school band excursions someone was always playing either DSOTM or WYWH in the back of the bus. On their BOOMBOX :D

[@clansome]

@@bdc1117 Whist I picked up on the debut album and bought what is arguably one of their best albums "Fly by Night", "Caress of Steel" and I hate to admit it "2112" both went under my radar. They weren't promoted in the UK at all. That was all corrected over the next few albums where I was at University in a City which loves rock music, Newcastle and where I got to see them.

[@Sasha-jk6wo]

Funny you mentioned Spinal Tap and Stonehenge because i was just watching a live performance of Rush and Geddy Lee had a little miniature Stonehenge on his keyboards. One of the many great things about Rush is that they don't take themselves seriously and are quick to poke fun at themselves.

[@bobcarn]

The first time Alex started using the volume pedal to have his guitar fade in and out was on their 1975 "Fly by Night" album. They had their first multi-part song ("By-Tor and the Snowdog"), and Alex used the volume pedal for atmospheric effects. He improved on it a lot for that song with their live album, and really excelled at it with "Xanadu". This song is LOVED by their fans. There's cool, and then there's "Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee back-to-back with double-neck guitars playing Xanadu" cool.

[@GT-mq1dx]

Always Kool 😎

[@TommyLMason]

Amen.

[@NotThatOneThisOne]

For tracks like this, without sequencers or arpeggiators, they didn't need click tracks. They had Neil instead. Peart spent hours learning and practicing his tracks for live. He almost never played a non compositional part. When they did jam out, he had various cues he played to count the guys in (like 4 open hat beats).

[@chadbennett7873]

Well written!! Thanks for making that point ... it's just so true!

[@rsdempster]

I've watched this so many times, and it's still epic every time.

[@TommyLMason]

Pretty well sums up everything I might have to say about it. E P I C 🤴🤴🤴🇨🇦

[@willrobinson9575]

This is my favorite version kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXbYgKKDpdd3p8k

[@TommyLMason]

@@willrobinson9575 Even though it would appear to be a “lip-synced” version straight from AFTK, I have a new favorite version. This one. 3 masters of their crafts. RIP Professor. You will always be missed.🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁💐🛐🕊️😢

[@naboolicious6283]

There are people in there 40's and 50's in the USA doing first time hearing reaction videos to Rush. What has sustained them is a Hard Core loyal cadre of fans, with the occasional Top 20 popular song once a decade. I was introduced to them by a friend, and it takes time to tune your ear and mind to their music. But once you're there, it's Musical Heroin!!!

[@peteweller117]

I went to several RUSH concerts in the UK. The amount of sound produced by three guys was unreal. All the time on stage you could see how much they all respected each other's musical skills. You could see all through the concerts you could see their sense of humour and how much fun they were having. RIP Neil Peart.

[@markgettemeyer1145]

Your commentary to me is fantastic. Your vocabulary and description of the “push and pull” of the meter and the manipulation of the dynamics could help a lot of people I know to really better understand this epic song and epic band. There will never be another band like Rush. Ever.

[@groundscoresteve4964]

To me, Rush is to MUSICIANSHIP, what the BEATLES are to SINGING! Rush was ALWAYS ALL IN!!

[@afbill4219]

Dude! You dropped The Dark Chrystal AND Spinal Tap!!!......fucking awesome. Welcome to Rush!!!

[@commknightj]

Congratulations! You now have a 40 year rabbit hole to go down. It is an epic journey, filled with incomparable musicianship, emotionally striking lyrics, and 3 really good friends who absolutely love making music together since 1974. I've been a fan since 1976. I have been to many of their concerts over the years. What you hear on the album is what they reproduce in concert. It is amazing, every time. 3 hours of amazing music... goosebumps and chills, every time. Enjoy your journey of stank face, wtf moments, and sheer amazement at the genius that is RUSH.

[@PrymalChaos]

Thanks! Glad to be here, even if it did take far too long for me to find my way!

[@commknightj]

@@PrymalChaos Glad to add you to the Rush Army! Seems to me that anyone who enjoys music finds their way to prog rock at some time. And with Yes and Pink Floyd being the progenitors of the genre, Rush is the distillation of music/lyrics/performance that can reach all colors and all musical abilities. Enjoy the magic that is Rush. I'll be following your journey😀

[@PrymalChaos]

@@commknightj thanks mate! The channel is highly diverse in genre, so don’t be surprised if you see some random song choices pop up. I’m always spinning 4 or 5 plates so to speak. Just keep an eye out for any videos that speak to you. I’ll certainly do more Rush, it just might take a minute to get the videos out. In the meantime I don’t expect everyone to watch every video, however I do encourage people to take the occasional gamble on something that they may not be in to. I started this channel exclusively doing extreme metalcore stuff. Now I’ve moved through punk, Japanese metal and funk, classical, opera, Instrumental, A Cappella pop, the list goes on, and I have discovered so many new acts I never would have noticed. I have found that enormous amounts of older prog and rock fans have rediscovered music through the Japanese Scene. Bands like Band-Maid, Baby-Metal, Gacharic Spin, Unlucky Morpheus, the list is endless, and these bands are either exclusively, or at least heavily feature female performers, playing material that is mind-blowingly innovative and proficient. The scene over there is on a whole other level. It’s certainly not prog, but if you want an example of the call unit of these musicians check out Gacharic Spin’s song Mindset. It’s pop funk (with a hint of show band flavour in the bridge) but the playing is off the charts.

[@markferrett700]

I saw Rush in London 1981 on this tour....Trust me they were just as good,absolutely amazing. We were watching three geniuses at the peak of their careers....masters of their instruments and their art. I doubt there will ever be such a talented three piece band again. Your reaction is spot on. You can't rush RUSH!!! They are the masters of crescendo. I can't wait to see your reaction to either 2112 or Hemispheres.

[@camshaftishh]

I'm not surprised Rush wouldn't be that big in Australia either. I watch a Drummer Reaction channel as well from New Zealand who is basically going through his Rush discovery on his channel. I'm Canadian and this was one of the first bands my parents introduced me to. I was lucky enough to see them once, in Ottawa in 2017. One of the best performances ever.

[@samtaylor7762]

Great reaction and the best analysis I've seen in a Rush song or video. You're definitely a pro and know what you're talking about. Make more please.

[@DavidMartinez-iz8fe]

Rush was never really main stream. Most people learned about them through word of mouth. Main stream radio only plays a select few songs and they are few and far between. They earned their fan base buy constantly touring and introduction from generation to generation. Truly a band of the people.

[@bostonwhofan]

Check out Rush performing "Spirit of Radio" live in Toronto in 2003 in front of 500,000 fans on a sunny August afternoon. They start out with a short tribute to the Rolling Stones with an instrumental version of "Paint It Black" and the segue into a blistering version of "Spirit of Radio". It's one of the greatest live performances I've ever seen.

[@tutoch]

a recomendation la villa stragiato possibly the greatest instrumental ever Great reaction to Xanadu

[@greedynewt6149]

I agree completely. I loved your reaction to Xanadu. Please react to "La Villa Strangiato" The official video. The official video was filmed in one take on a closed stage. It is an instrumental master piece and it is another great piece to see the interaction between all three of them. There are later performances too but please react to the official video it was done shortly after the song came out and it is a masterpiece.

[@campbrice]

Subscribed - great breakdown! The awesome thing about music is that regardless of age (and I mean that about both age of the music and the listener) it’s art that you can appreciate for its beauty, depth and emotional movement.

[@dcmanuel7232]

This song is simply a symphonic masterpiece, and the performance is simply a jaw dropping display of talent rarely captured on media. Yet it appears to be 3 guys just a having fun doing what they love (and that's exactly what it is). BTW, I saw this tour in Jackon MS in the summer after graduation from HS (1981).

[@compnnburns8831]

It was Rush's mantra and unique selling point even in the 70's and 80's to reproduce their complicated studio sound live as perfectly as humanly possible. Funnily you call it a lost art a lot of their detractors at the time criticised such a clinical approach but of course the fans wanted to hear those perfect sometimes 20 minute epics performed as per their studio listening experience. Rush were pretty unique and pushed the limits of what a 3 piece band could do live. Their formula meant they enjoyed over a 40 year career and only became remotely famous when some of their fans started to get into positions to expose their talent in the media e.g. "Love ya man" Hollywood film etc.

[@johnnolan8732]

Both Geddy & Alex are using pedals via MIDI which synch to the synths as triggers. I've been in a few Rush tribute bands playing bass & keys. At the same time! It ain't easy!! In my 50's now I'm over the challenge! But back then it was fun.

[@AnthonyKellett]

Even the studio version was one run through, as a sound check, then one take. They'd been playing it live for a while, before they got into the studio, in 1977.

[@paulwilkinson8308]

I’ve been blown away by them since 1976! Seeing people discover Rush for the 1st time is great but watching musicians discover them is better. Great reaction. Cheers from Canuckland 🇨🇦

[@tbradley6250]

Never too late, bro! I discovered Rush 42 years ago. I saw this tour in 1981. Dubuque, Iowa. USA

[@signals-72]

Excellent break-down and analysis! Made my day!

[@PrymalChaos]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@georgekenny2294]

Your comment at 27:24 is spot on. I agree with you 100%. You are very intelligent, and you seem to know many technical music aspects that go way over my head. I just listen to the music. That's about as smart as I get. But at least I've had at this point 50 years of listening to Rush and got to see them about 20 times. I'm not bragging because some people I have met have seen them over 100 times, and my 20 times seem very very small and not at all enough. Best wishes.

[@stephenpublicover8818]

You are witnessing the professor of the drums NEIL PEART!!!

[@wellstrung2]

I'm glad you are finally able to listen after all these years. Rest in peace Neil Peart

[@skarlottt]

A loss that was so hard to believe.. 😒

[@luiscarmona6940]

Hello there...enjoying your "discovery" of Rush. You're in for an unbelievable ride, to me the best musicians and lyricists ever....their unmatched music and deep revealing lyrics changed my life...if you do get deep into their lyrics, you'll dig what I'm trying to express. I suggest checking Natural Science, Witch Hunt, Vital Signs, Red Barchetta, 2112, ...their whole discography is so full of unmatched music that it'll leave you asking for more. Welcome to Rush Nation....

[@jons3808]

Great reaction! I saw Rush 5 times in the 1980s and you’re right, the amazing thing about their shows was their ability to recreate their amazing music live without smoke and mirrors. Cheers!

[@bpj9022]

This was the first Rush song I ever heard on a late night rock show of the radio back in the very early 80’s, and it blew me away. Yeah, there were other famous rock bands been played also, but none caught me with that WOW factor like hearing Rush for the first time. Went out and bought the album ‘A Farewell to Kings’ as soon as I could at the weekend, and loved ‘em ever since!

[@mightyV444]

"Are they playing to a click track?", pah! Neil Peart *was* the 'click track'! 😄😉 Very sadly, he passed away three years ago, and Rush had played their last live show already in 2015, at which time they were celebrating their 40th anniversary. And great reaction/analysis, mate! 😀👍 Greetings from NZ! 😊 ...oh, by the way: That's actually another *12* -string guitar on Geddy's double-neck! He's playing it from the beginning of Alex' solo till the end of the song; The camera operators forgot to switch to Geddy when he's playing on his 12-string, though 🙄😄

[@Lordsuhn]

By far my favorite song of all time! And this performance is just mind blowing. They are working so hard.

[@donmcewan8807]

Awesome review....nice to see a review with somebody knowledgeable....good job

[@PrymalChaos]

Thanks Don. I have a fair amount of experience in different aspects of music, but I’m no Rick Beato. Take everything I say with a grain of salt! 😅 glad you enjoyed the reaction!

[@Calumetto]

Nice. Most Rush fans have a favorite or two that are obscure to the reactor scene, but light something in us individually. One of mine is "Hope" from "Snakes and Arrows." It's just an instrumental, but I have a special reverence for it. ••• Thanks! PEACE!!! ••• Your thumbnail reminds me of "Eraserhead" BTW. (-:

[@roadrunner1277]

Great reaction. Love that you noticed influences from Rush that ultimately inspired Spinal Tap. In later gigs, Geddy actually has a mini Stonehenge model sitting on top of his keyboard in tribute to that exact gag from "This is Spinal Tap".

[@lvgelfling72]

Great reaction! I am not sure of Rushs influence on Spinal Tap, but I definitely know that Geddy kept a miniature Stonehenge on his keyboard for a few tours... I always assumed it was just showing homage to Spinal Tap. Lol.

[@PrymalChaos]

Hahah. Part of me hopes so.

[@lvgelfling72]

@PrymalChaos I have pretty much zero doubt that it was. These guys always put music first and checked egos at the door. They have always poked fun at themselves and celebrated the misfits in us all. I'm sure you can catch video from their concerts, where the three of them dress up silly and do silly skits for us fans. Sense of humor is a prime component with the holy triumphant. Lol. SO yes, I believe Stonehenge is just a reminder to not take themselves too seriously. 100%

[@michaelwilson3402]

I am 64, I found Rush with 2112, in 1978. 2112 song is long and shows each band member at their best! They influence virtually every Rock band! Peace I would give a lot to hear one more concert, love these guys!

[@SomeOneNew1029]

I never thought of the Spinal Tap connection, but I can absolutely see it!!

[@patrickorourke2369]

That's so funny what you said about Spinal Tap. I never even thought about it, but I'm a fan since about '81 and I've seen Spinal Tap a few times. You might be on to something. There was a lot of experimental stuff back then, though, that wasn't very good that did these types of things.

[@smsiv]

Just listened to your explanation before the song and had a laugh cuz kiwi drummer Andrew Rooney also has to deal with people being incredulous over him not knowing Rush cuz they simply weren’t a thing in NZ. Anyway, not familiar with your channel, but the algorithm recommended it to me, and I’m always good for hearing Xanadu live on a Saturday night - cheers! I think you’ll like this

[@carlbusque1856]

Watched many reviews of this song and you are the first to comment and explain what is happening with the time signatures, love it, great review.

[@pcrathke]

Kubla Khan By Samuel Taylor Coleridge Or, a vision in a dream. A Fragment. In Xanadu did Kubla Khan A stately pleasure-dome decree: Where Alph, the sacred river, ran Through caverns measureless to man Down to a sunless sea. So twice five miles of fertile ground With walls and towers were girdled round; And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills, Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree; And here were forests ancient as the hills, Enfolding sunny spots of greenery. But oh! that deep romantic chasm which slanted Down the green hill athwart a cedarn cover! A savage place! as holy and enchanted As e’er beneath a waning moon was haunted By woman wailing for her demon-lover! And from this chasm, with ceaseless turmoil seething, As if this earth in fast thick pants were breathing, A mighty fountain momently was forced: Amid whose swift half-intermitted burst Huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail, Or chaffy grain beneath the thresher’s flail: And mid these dancing rocks at once and ever It flung up momently the sacred river. Five miles meandering with a mazy motion Through wood and dale the sacred river ran, Then reached the caverns measureless to man, And sank in tumult to a lifeless ocean; And ’mid this tumult Kubla heard from far Ancestral voices prophesying war! The shadow of the dome of pleasure Floated midway on the waves; Where was heard the mingled measure From the fountain and the caves. It was a miracle of rare device, A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice! A damsel with a dulcimer In a vision once I saw: It was an Abyssinian maid And on her dulcimer she played, Singing of Mount Abora. Could I revive within me Her symphony and song, To such a deep delight ’twould win me, That with music loud and long, I would build that dome in air, That sunny dome! those caves of ice! And all who heard should see them there, And all should cry, Beware! Beware! His flashing eyes, his floating hair! Weave a circle round him thrice, And close your eyes with holy dread For he on honey-dew hath fed, And drunk the milk of Paradise.

[@Fred-vt7kd]

Came here to say exactly this. Song was inspired by the poem Kubla Kahn

[@gregemerson7648]

Its the same in New Zealand, they are even less known there, according to the drummer that does similar videos from there. Great video! This is 1977 my friend!!! Live is 1981. Slash liked Rush even was upset they got into the Hall of Fame and they weren't in there at that point. Check out Quadrophenia, some albums and music were so complex they were super hard to perform way back when - this would be an example, but Rush were so dedicated to performing their best they did it!

[@PrymalChaos]

I need to get back to Rush. So much undiscovered territory.

[@gregemerson7648]

@@PrymalChaos Love your video and when you do I would consider 2112, even the live from Toronto 1997, or the original, or Freewill or Tom Sawyer. Excited to see what you come up with but will love it I am sure!!

[@mhlevy]

In the 1970s and 1980s, it was perfectly common for bands to put on live shows where the music was number one! And nobody used backing tracks (with the exception of Queen.) But bands like Yes, Genesis, ELO, Gentle Giant, Pink Floyd (they hired additional musicians to play on stage,) Kansas and of course, Queen. Of course, Queen and Pink Floyd put on huge stage shows, but if you look at the concert movie of Led Zeppelin, "The Song Remains the Same," you'll notice that they play on a tiny stage at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Other bands like Led Zeppelin, Styx, Montrose, Ted Nugent, The Band and the Grateful Dead all entertained many thousands of concertgoers simply with their music.

[@ProffAndy]

Probably the best commentary on a Rush video I've seen so far. You nailed it 👍

[@ctrushfan8575]

Nice reaction. I do hear Sweet Child of Mine now that you mention it. These same 3 guys were together from 1974 through 2015, when they retired. Neil passed away in 2020.

[@kenbourne8011]

My favorite band. The best live show I ever have or ever will see. Master musicians. If they couldn't play it live, they didn't record it.

[@C_Melvyn_James]

Your Spinal Tap observation is bang-on. When you see the official Closer to the Heart video, you'll fully see you were not far off at all.

[@michaelzilkowsky2936]

Closer to the Heart, in all its live and intended greatness.... 😝kzbin.info/www/bejne/mGK5ZYJneMydn8k

[@nattijeff]

RUSH Army is present and prepared for duty.

[@godbluffvdgg]

Indeed...If you "missed this one" You definitely missed Fountain of Lamneth... Better late than never.

[@azcrim]

Just watched your XANADU reaction video. XANADU was on their 1977 album A FAREWELL TO KINGS, while the video was from 1981. Predates Sweet Child by at least eight years.

[@PrymalChaos]

@@azcrim Thanks for the context! So I suppose it’s well within the bounds of Slash taking some influence from it. I believe I read that he wrote Sweet Child based on an exercise that he used to use to warm up. Maybe that exercise was based on that Rush lick. 😃 Either that or he just straight up ripped it off, ahem! I mean paid homage to it.

[@azcrim]

I'm leaning toward an exercise. Joe Walsh has said that Life in the fast lane came out of a warm up exercise that he had been doing.

[@michaelzilkowsky2936]

Australia....and Rush...... Back in 2016 I was on an Australia visit -- Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Port Lincoln to do the great white shark excursion, Cairns.... One afternoon, just walking around Cairns with absolutely no direction, totally aimlessly, I saw a little record store tucked into the hallway of a mall and went in. Imagine my surprise when the first thing I saw, up on the wall behind the counter, was the big Rush poster from 1977, playing Xanadu. 🙂

[@chadbennett7873]

You are so correct, they played by feel and watching them perform live in the arena let you know that. Three musical geniuses who were absolutely best friends and played like it. When Neil lost his family, the other two did not play again until he was ready. It was three of them together 'til the end of time, and that connection was obvious and appreciate by the loyal fan base. I took an ex-girlfriend to a show and she instantly fell in love with them. She talked about how "together" they were as musicians, but she also commented on their obvious friendship. That drew her to them. She wanted to go to any show they played locally. One day she called me up to tell me a documentary was playing on TV, and how much she loved it.

[@gelsol]

Geddy's synths are an Oberheim 8-voice merged with a Minimoog. He also used Moog Taurus pedals.

[@m.a.sperry3424]

A friend of ours who was a record promoter here in Toronto in the 70s was told to check out this up- and- coming band. After hearing them he said , "they'll never make it, especially with that singer". That band was Rush. Boy, was he sorry.

[@fretless05]

You kind of hit on the spirit of Rush in your comment about developing the themes and going against the pressure to make a song that's 2:30. After a fairly unsuccessful record, the band's record label threatened them, telling them they needed to make more commercial and shorter songs. The bands response in 1976 was the 2112 album, in which the ENTIRE first side was a single track! They decided that the music was more important than anything else, even their record deal. They made the music they wanted to make and for them, telling a story through a song was important. For songs like La Villa Strangiato or Xanadu, the stories demanded pushing the boundaries and putting out 11 minute plus songs. The courage in that is part of what made Rush one of the greatest bands of all time. Side note: I've heard many people say that Geddy's Rickenbacker is a 4-strong and 12-string, though it looks like 6 to me... I've also heard that some drummers play to metronomes and metronomes play to Neal Peart.

[@Babyseal2002]

Related to your comments on spectacle etc. Xanadu was released in 1977. Rush's last tour was in 2015. R40 tour was North America only. Started out with all their modern kit and stage paraphernalia for their newer tracks. And this was stripped back by roadies as their playlist went back in time. And here's Xanadu stripped back to 70/80s staging: kzbin.info/www/bejne/anOkaYdnd9lmg9U

[@nealsweeney7350]

Neil has passed but they are still remembered and never forgotten

[@darinpearson2554]

I have lived in Canada my entire life. I am currently 58 years old. My friends would confirm I am a life long music lover. Obviously I can't speak to the veracity of your claims about not having heard much RUSH until well into your 40's. Having said that, one of the bands you mentioned, Dream Theater, I had heard of but, not really heard their music until I was 47. I instantly became a fan and wondered where they had been all my life. It's especially strange to me since, the number one influence on Mike Portnoy was Neil Peart and, I have been a fan of RUSH since 1976. Who knows how this works, where music fans can have a blind spot for so long. Anyway, based on my own experience, your claim checks out. For what that's worth.

[@KilgoreTrout1972]

FWIW, studio version of this was released in 1977. The movie (and Olivia Newton John/ELO version) came out in 1980.

[@fnowat]

Tubular bells by a rock band, unheard of! I loved it in the '80s and appreciate it more now

[@jcla1234]

An awesome first listen to a complex but ripping song. Such great insight right off the bat. Loved your reaction.

[@robertkitson1342]

The brilliance of the way they seamlessly change time signatures is the beauty of the three greatest musicians of all time

[@iRenegade164]

The proof of what you're saying about Rush not using backing tracks is in the outro when Geddy pauses playing bass to adjust a pot on the keyboard, he plays a note on bass, makes ANOTHER adjustment, then plays the key, and continues until the song is done. Great reaction, yo!

[@PrymalChaos]

Thanks mate!

[@michaelzilkowsky2936]

That particular part of Xanadu is my biggest beef with Alex's new mix for the re release. Overall, his remix IS better than the vinyl version of ESL -- you can hear the air around the drums, you can hear the Taurus notes AND the Oberheim notes. HOWEVER.......listen to that last synth note on the album....it is way up in the mix....so much so that they drew attention to it in the video by pointing a camera RIGHT AT THE KEY....only to have Alex pull it down to almost inaudible.

[@bukeksiansu2112]

I'm Indonesian but Rush so big in 80's especially for big cities high school band (Jakarta, Bandung and Surabaya).

[@obiwanbenobi4943]

Check out the studio version of this one sometime. :) LOL at your comment about dressing, because Rush seemed to have no real fashion sense and the rest of us didn't care anyways. :) Very much had fun seeing your reaction and comments which tell me that you really hear the stuff that I do but I've never had the vocabulary to spit it out - I just knew that I really enjoyed it and kept listening from early '74 on.

[@beniboah4123]

Great review! During early 80's they did evolve in an interesting way. You'd have fun watching how were 3 years later, look at this one : The Weapon Live in Toronto 1984. Remaster edition.

[@omicron2018]

If I close my eyes I would swear that Alex Lifeson is actually playing a cello instead of an electric guitar during parts of the intro. Just incredible musicianship.

[@PrymalChaos]

Yeah, I just reacted to Pink Floyd ‘Echoes’ these Prog dudes could make anything sound like anything!!

[@GoblinGuy333]

I believe if Jimi was still alive, Alex would be somewhere in the top 3 of his favorite guitarists. His rhythm playing, leads, fills and such a broad tone range just put him in rare company.

[@sean---the-other-one]

Yep. I’ve known Rush through a mate from back in the early 90s, but the one and only time I heard Rush on radio was earlier this year where MMM Classic Rock digital station played a portion of 2112 (which I was gobsmacked about, given that there’s definitely much more accessible songs than 2112 for people to first hear from them).

[@johnwebb167]

These guys remind me of listening to a Ferrari go thru the gears. Utter perfection . Nobody can replicate that sound or Musicanship. RIP Professor. You Sir we’re truly an original.

[@katskillz]

damn... Ferrari going through the gears. what a great analogy

[@C_Melvyn_James]

I would say that Rush had five different eras. 1. Glam/Hard Rock. 2. Fantasy-Prog (Caves and Castles. Swords and Sorcerers, etc) 3. Contemporary Rock. (starting with Permanent Waves) 4. Then morphing into their own take on "The New Music", forging rock into new wave. 5. Art Rock (Power Windows, Hold Your Fire, Presto) After that, they just tried to remain relevant without copying themselves. They experimented with grunge and punk and orchestral arrangements and so on.. To their immense credit, I would say that their final album, Clockwork Angels is very much one of their greatest works. It is the one album they allowed themselves to be influenced by their past work without it being a piecemeal patchwork of redundancy. A true masterpiece. They went out on top.

[@davidgallion3167]

A true and absolute master class by Rush. Remarkable in conception and brilliant in execution.

[@vgspro5365]

Xanadu the movie came out in 1980. Rush released their song on A Farewell to Kings in 1977. I don't think this was a coincidence.

[@babajaiy8246]

The great thing about him using that technique of plucking the string with the volume off then bringing up the note is that he wasn't doing it for 'gimmicks' sake but took advantage of that soft progression from note to note that couldn't have been done otherwise to convey that element of 'space', 'enchantment' and 'wonder'.

[@PrymalChaos]

When I read you describing that, it made me think about how much it's like a synthesizer. There is a controller on a synth that determines the 'attack' of a sound. A short attack makes the sound come in fast and loud, while a slow attack will start with nothing but slowly sweel in volume over time. I know rush loved a bit of synth, so maybe that was the thinking behind the technique. Very cool though. Extremely expressive.

[@marchavard2505]

I'm a genZ from Montreal and a buddy of mine was on the GA floor for that show and I remember he paid 17,50$ for his ticket.

[@PrymalChaos]

Whoa! But to be there for that experience…

[@aland4092]

Check Rush R30 opening sequence. It's a medley of all their intro songs from their 1st 5or6 albums and it's called the best intro ever. Where they just come out of one song straight into the other then go into spirit of radio. It's an awesome jam session. And freewill is an awesome song musically and lyrically.

[@christinamurray2112]

Xanadu comes from the poem Kubla Khan by Sam Taylor Coleridge. The song is based on that poem. The song came out before the movie.

[@C_Melvyn_James]

Haha! When you said, "gimme a second here" and started typing away, I read your mind. (I was expecting that you would make that "Sweet" connection. There it is...) My guess is that Slash was goofing about trying to play that riff and somebody said, "hey! play that again!" I'd bet money on it. I know he has mentioned Rush as an influence.

[@DavidMartinez-iz8fe]

Neil Peart passed away January of 2020. It's fantastic that you tube is bringing in a new generation of fans. Unfortunately they've missed the opportunity to see them in person. They've brought together new fans from all musical backgrounds